Overview

SquareDance is a fan made album by the communities at KFSS Studios and OneUp Studios. It features dance remixes of popular tracks from SquareSoft by a range of people. A number of fine dance remixes are featured on the album, though there is a range of other material that disappoints somewhat for a range of reasons. Note the album was released in two different forms: a standard one disc edition reviewed here, and a limited two disc edition reviewed elsewhere.

Body

Like many fan-produced albums, SquareDance places the greatest focus on music from Yasunori Mitsuda's Chrono Trigger. The opening track "Hip-Hop Corridor" is a fairly standard but well produced remix from the game that uses various synthesizers to provide a mellow feel. The beginning is masterful, as it gives an impression of a space odyssey. Also from Chrono Trigger, "Spacecat" blends resonant synthpads with more authentic instrumentation to decent effect, though could have featured improved samples. "To Far Away Times" meanwhile takes listeners on a magical adventure; lovely fairy lights guide the tune while a dance beat thuds away. It's a simple but very effective and enjoyable remix.

There is plenty of other tracks represented in the album. Among the Final Fantasy selections include "Cyan" from Final Fantasy VI, which is geared towards grizzly old-school music and sometimes has a rambling quality. Though stereotypical, "World of Ruin" captures the ominous tone of the second half of Final Fantasy VI with its church organ focus, while "Forest Animal Groove" maintains the organic and spiritual vibe of Secret of Mana. "Adventurous Break" from its predecessor Final Fantasy Adventure is perfectly pitched if unspectacular with its regular chord changes, rises, and falls. Even Secret of Evermore's "Hello World" is featured, though the melody isn't distinctive enough for my tastes.

Considering a few personal highlights, "Cecil's Jinn and Juice" mixes together two themes from early Final Fantasy games in a relaxing manner. The lead is taken by wind instrumentation and is superbly realised. The transitions between the two melodies is absolutely spot-on and ensures this is a real standout. Another remix featuring excellent transitions, more of the stylistic kind, is "The Day Will Come" from Final Fantasy V. It develops from a gorgeous piano introduction into a fauntless piece of trance music. The final track is "The Ultimate Being" from Parasite Eve. Despite some lovely effects, it is just a bit too chaotic and cluttered at times.

Summary

Appreciation for SquareDance will depend on to what extent you enjoy the genre featured. If you love dance music, this will be right up your street, but most game music listeners might only be able to appreciate a few of the arrangements and find the others mostly filler. The one disc regular edition for this album certainly compiles the better tracks, though those wanting more may want to hunt down the limited edition two disc version instead.